Ep. 45 | Global Swing States and the New Great Power Competition

With the future of the global order hinging on the outcome of today’s great power competition, a group of multi-aligned states has emerged with a growing ability to influence the outcome of this competition. Effectively engaging these 'global swing states' will be essential if the United States is to succeed in preserving an international order that favors American interests and principles. Richard Fontaine, Vandenberg Advisory Board member, CEO of Center for a New American Security (CNAS), and co-author of the new report “Global Swing States and the New Great Power Competition,” joins Flash Focus to explore how the United States can engage with these swing states to sustain a U.S.-centric global order and push back against the “Axis of Upheaval.”(2:13) What Is a “Global Swing State?”(4:47) The “Axis of Upheaval,” Global Swing States, and the Dynamics of Great Power Competition (9:20) How Do the Swing States Think of Themselves?(11:38) The Case for the Current International Order(20:23) Does the International Order Resonate with the Swing States?(22:29) Global Swing States in 2012 vs. 2025 (25:40) Easiest and Hardest Swing States to Engage(29:04) The Case Against Foreign Policy Solutionism and the Swing States